The world of high fashion can often be seen as remote, arch, and somewhat inaccessible to the ordinary consumer. However, there is little doubt that the top level of the fashion industry is driven by creativity, diverse thinkers, and unique individuals.
These individuals leading the industry have also been known for adopting new technologies and embracing new possibilities derived. The current digital revolution is no different. Fashion and design have taken digital visualisation, mixed, augmented, and virtual reality, and a host of other technologies, to blend them into new experiences for fashionistas. Whether it is being able to have the Paris catwalk view of a top buyer for Fashion Week, or the ability to adjust on the fly a design classic in a smart mirror, digital has been enfolded by fashion to be more inclusive, more interactive, and more available.
And to a certain type of technologist, that sounds like a manifesto for web3.
“Let’s get a Phygital!” said a recent headline in the venerable Forbes, where it described how retailers are adapting techniques pioneered in fashion to blend the advantages of in-store experiences with those of online. It quotes Melissa Tatoris, VP Retail, Zeta Global, “It may sound like it, but phygital is not just a buzzword; it represents a dynamic approach that seamlessly integrates offline and online experiences, bridging the gap between brick-and-mortar stores and digital platforms.” Top brands are embracing this blending of the digital with the real world. At Paris Fashion Week this year, L’Oreal had its own web3 showcase, with events streamed live on the Roblox gaming platform.
Ireland has a leading part to play in this too. SYKY, founded by Alice Delahunt, a Trinity College Dublin graduate and veteran of Burberry and Ralph Lauren, is a web3 platform for digital designers to not only showcase their work, but also to allow users to discover, curate, trade, and share digital collectibles of their own. SYKY is just one of host of such initiatives coming from Irish people in the industry.
Join us on Tuesday 24 October at 08:30 for a free webinar to hear from Paula Marie Kilgarriff about Phygital fashion on demand that is powered by AI, and verified by the blockchain. Aileen Carville, will describe her journey through the industry, working in-house and directly with luxury brands. She will also share her insights as a tech founder building a platform with web3 and AI, and COLONII, her new venture that addresses new business models emerging from those technologies. Alan Kelly, lecturer at TUS, will bring insights from his work around the digital to hanger process, working with Clo3D, Gerber and Clo-Set.
The webinar is free but registration is required.
